The Shifter
by The Entity
Summary: The 57th expedition beyond the walls is not far off, and the scouting regiment plans to make use of their time before the expedition, until something is found just outside the perimeter of the scouts HQ. The new discovery could throw many plans off schedule. Though it might not be as bad as originally thought. Rated T for violence and language. First chapter is A/N Intro.
1. Introduction

**Introduction**

**Hello all lovely readers. Glad to have you here whoever has decided to read the introduction, making you slightly more informed than anyone too impatient to read through this simple heads up that I'm taking care of before starting the actual story. I'll keep it short so that we don't end up with a terms and conditions length discussion that ends up getting skipped anyways, like actual terms and conditions.**

**To start: my upload schedule will be nothing less than sporadic. I will go anywhere between posting two chapters in a week to disappearing entirely for a whole month. That's not to say I just won't work for the time that I'm gone, but I have a busy schedule with a number of things to do, from running a community to attending university.**

**Next: the fanfic itself starts some time before the 57th expedition, but after the 104th have chosen their corps. There will be sprinklings of manga knowledge, however at the same time, some things are going to be taken out. I'm no expert in the manga let alone the world as a whole mind you, so if something from the manga or non-anime knowledge isn't there or ignored, it is either on purpose or just something I didn't know. I ask to not be witch hunted for missing a detail of lore I was probably not previously certain of. **

**Finally: as can be figured out in the last paragraph this is an in universe alt reality where I will be messing around with lore, and taking out and inserting various things to my heart's content. In tandem with this fanfiction however, because I am only mortal and I have guilty pleasures, there will be an AU fanfiction I will also be working on which will be more about relationships between characters and more fun, less dramatic (for the most part) compared to this fic. So if you're interested in that I will be working on that at the same time as this fic. I might also start a fanfic or two for other animes as I am still only mortal and I have ideas I'd like to act on.**

**That should be all for now, if I have any updates they'll either be at the beginning or end of a chapter in bold like this introduction chapter. Hope you all enjoy, I appreciate any and all reviews, and have a lovely time!**

**P.S.: Just to get this out of the way so I don't have to repeatedly add it into every chapter: I do not own Attack on Titan or any of the characters in it, yaddah yaddah you all could have easily guessed this much on your own, I personally don't get why it's always repeated in every fanfic ever, nobody is going to mistake anyone on here as the real owners of AoT. **


	2. Chapter 1: Something Doesn't Belong

Chapter 1: Something Doesn't Belong

The morning was still over the Scout Regiment Headquarters. The only visible movement coming from the scene being the sway of leaves in the wind. The gentle breeze of a calm morning stirring the trees only a bit. The little calm that was available to the scouts was their rest. This morning being one of those rests. Though the day would return them all to the worry and energy of preparing for the 57th expedition beyond the walls. For now though, as the sun slowly rises over Wall Rose, they have some brief respite from their terrifying lives of cat and mouse against the titans.

However, not everyone has a nice morning. Some are less fortunate when it comes to waking up. Eren Yaeger would open his eyes to darkness. Were he not fully awake he would likely have thought his eyes were still close. The dungeon didn't offer much in the way of lighting. Sadly for him though, as his titan abilities are still untrustworthy, he is required to sleep in the cold dark of the basement. It makes little sense really, all evidence points out that he wouldn't be able to just awaken in the middle of the night and become a titan. Though the agreement for his release required it nonetheless. Eren wasn't about to argue with corporal Levi or commander Erwin on the subject so no point in moping over it.

Begrudgingly, and rather slowly, Eren rose from his bed. His eyes adjusting to the dark room a bit. Room, though, would be a bit nice of a term for a cell with a bed. The little light that he did have was in the torch just outside his cell. Which was fine as a night light, not as a wake up call. His eyes drifted to his clothing resting on a chair next to his bed, and quickly he put them on. The grey shirt, grey pants and the scouting legion jacket that nearly all scouting legion members wear. Then he sat to fit his boots on, after that he left the cell and made his way up to join his squad for the morning's meal.

His mind wasn't fully present though. Hardly ever was to begin with in all fairness. Though his thoughts have been on the upcoming expedition beyond the wall. It was still a couple weeks away, so it was hardly something to lose sleep over. Yet he still found his mind wandering to it. The importance of the mission for ensuring that he doesn't get handed over to the military police. He felt that the commander wouldn't allow that to happen so easily though, which was some comfort, though it would make everyone's lives incredibly easier if he just got this mission right the first time.

After some time of walking he would come to the double door into the Levi squad's meeting room. He reached out to grab the handle only for it to open from the inside, revealing Corporal Levi at the door. An expression of shock to see Yaeger on the other side.

"Corporal Levi!" Eren spoke out quickly upon seeing his squad leader, quickly standing at attention. "I'm sorry if I'm late sir! I just woke up and-"

"Stuff it." Levi interrupts him before he can get any more words out. "You're not late. Early as hell if anything. I was on my way to get you to make sure you won't be late, evidently that's unnecessary now." The corporal's voice dry and uninterested as always. He opens the door all the way and returns to his seat at the head of the table, when Eren can fully take in the room, he finds nobody else is there yet.

"Oh," is all he can manage as he follows Levi into the room, closing the door behind him. Levi in his usual attire, unsurprisingly. On the table is a basket of bread, and tea set out for all the members of the team when they arrive. "You've been busy, huh corporal?" Eren asked, attempting to make small talk with his squad leader. Everyone else in the squad is so well acquainted and familiar with one and other that Eren feels a bit like an outsider despite being one of them. Though he isn't really one of them in the same way, he knows that, he's only with them because he's supposed to be kept in check by the most capable soldiers on hand.

"We have training right after this meeting." The corporal spoke plainly, disinterested in conversating. "I decided to streamline the morning process by grabbing breakfast for everyone for the meeting." And that was that. The corporal picked up his cup and sipped from it, not even looking at Eren anymore as he sat down and started drinking his own tea.

Long silence filled the room as they sat without speaking a word. Levi was happy to leave it like that, it's his comfort to have quiet. Eren on the other hand was hoping deeply for the other members of the squad to arrive soon so that at least some noise fills the room. Then, as if the universe heard and answered his prayers the door opened and Oluo followed by Petra entered the room.

"Morning corp-" Petra was cut off upon seeing that Eren was also present already. "Oh, Eren! You're here already, huh?" She grinned in a friendly manner as she as next to Levi, Oluo quickly taking the free seat on the other side, in the middle of Eren's sight of Petra. Both of them evidently wide awake and ready to get the day started, much unlike Eren himself.

"The brat probably had to be woken up by the corporal, dragged him out of bed I'm sure." Oluo chimed in. Putting on a mean face much unlike what he appeared to be when he entered the room. Posturing for Eren clearly. Eren felt a surge of annoyance, though he refused to correct him.

"No." Levi abruptly spoke, causing Oluo to look at him incredulously, as though he just stole all of his energy right then and there. "Eren actually arrived on his own. Came straight here when he woke up." Levi then returned to his tea without another disinterested word. Slight mumbling coming from Oluo, though it was completely incoherent.

Petra held back a chuckle before saying to Eren, "I hope you're sleeping well down there, it's not very comfortable I'm sure." She spoke sympathetically, always trying to make Eren feel more welcome compared to the other four. Something that Eren, ever in his self indulgent world, hardly noticed or properly appreciated. Though when he was aware of it he didn't scoff at it or toss it aside like he'd do with Mikasa.

"It's fine. Thanks for the concern though." Eren said before sipping from his tea.

Mid sip however the door flew open to reveal Gunther and Eld, who walk in with a wave to everyone. The sudden entry caused Eren to jump a bit in his skin and fumble with his tea, nearly spilling it completely, thankfully for him nobody had noticed.

Once everyone was seated they all grabbed a piece of bread and started eating their breakfast. Some small talk being exchanged between the four primary members of the squad, while Levi remained silent, occasionally nodding to something said, a couple shrugs as well, but mostly not participating at all. Eren was completely void on the talking. Not being included at all, just focused on eating his bread and drinking his tea. Something that nobody interrupted, no conversation being forced on him, a choice that Eren appreciated as he wasn't sure he would be able to participate very well in any topic really.

Eren slowly got lost in his own thoughts, hardly even paying attention to his squad mates. What was on his mind varied moment to moment. Getting lost in ideas and self doubt even over the coming mission. Is he going to let them down if he can't get control of his powers? Would he even need to use his powers? What about his friends? Where would they be? Would they be in danger? Would-

"Eren." Levi called out from the door. Eren waking from his trance and realizing that everyone was gone. "Get a move on already brat." The corporal's voice sharp as he went out the door, not even waiting for Eren, who quickly got up and hurried to rejoin his squad. Some of his tea and bread leftover.

"Sorry corporal!" He exclaimed as he caught up with them. Levi taking the lead despite being the second to last to leave. A slight _tch_ coming from the corporal as his only response.

"Hope you don't get into daydreaming when you're out in the field, Eren." Eld said teasingly. A small chuckle coming from him and Gunther, while Petra just shook her head and Oluo made a _tsk_ sound. How desperately he tried to emulate corporal Levi it makes one question what his real personality was like.

Levi didn't comment, simply leading the way to the stables. Some words being exchanged between the squad members. Yet again leaving Eren at the back with nothing to say. As they walked Eren could hear the bustle of the general cafeteria, and witch a quick glance he is able to pick out a few familiar faces. Sasha, Connie, Jean regrettably, Reiner, Bertholdt and Christa. There were a few faces that he couldn't find, such as Ymir, Mikasa, Armin, though he didn't pay much mind to it, continuing to follow the squad as they made their way at a steady pace.

* * *

"Eren, you need help over there?" Petra asked the shifter, walking over with her horse's reins in hand, leading it along. Eren on the other hand was fighting with his horse about whether or not it wants to get out of its stable to even get ready to ride out.

"Uh. Well…" Eren struggles still with the horse who just won't budge for the unfortunate shifter. "If you're offering help I won't refuse." He spoke a bit nervously. Not wanting to put her out of her way but certainly not wanting to hold up the whole squad with his horse refusing to cooperate.

A small chuckle escaped the scout as she walked over and took the reins from Eren and gently guided the horse out, petting it lightly to calm it down as she leads it out of its stall and into the open enough for Eren to fit the saddle and reins on. Petra keeping its attention occupied while Eren works with the equipment.

After a few minutes, the horse is fitted and more open to cooperation with its rider. "Thanks Petra." Eren's voice is a bit reserved, evidently suffering from some wounded pride from having to get help to get his horse ready.

Petra just offers a smile as she leads her horse out of the stables. "It's no problem Yaeger. Now come on, we have a lot of training planned for today." Eren's expression evident sorrow, whether it's from the fact he didn't finish his breakfast completely for training or the fact that he's doing arguably the wrong type of practice is debatable. In his eyes he should be training to fight as a titan not as a soldier. He wants to do the same training as everyone else, but he never actually fights as a human, seeming to be, in his and many other's eyes a more valuable fighter in titan form than human form.

The whole of squad Levi were mounted and ready to go just outside the stables, so Eren quickly hopped onto his horse and joined everyone else, everyone already equipped with their 3D Maneuvering Gear for the training. Levi glanced around and once he gave everyone a look over he opened his mouth to speak, only to be cut off by a loud "Wait!" At which Levi visibly cringed from the voice alone.

Everyone glanced over to find Hange riding over with Moblit by her side. A wide smile on her face as she rode up to the group. "Hope you're all having a good morning!" The section commander said with all too much joy in her voice.

"What do you want Four Eyes?" Levi said plainly, not even bothering to respond to her well wishing.

"Well, if you must ask," everyone visibly sagged in their saddles, "Erwin wants me to come along to your training session and do some checks on Eren, do some tests on titan Eren too maybe." She said the last bit all too excitedly for Eren's taste, causing him to step his horse a few feet away from the section commander.

"Fine, just keep quiet and interrupt us as little as possible you abnormal." He grumbled a few other choice words under his breath, Hange simply smiling happily oblivious to the extra words he uttered. Moblit's shoulders slumping down as he continued to slowly lose his sanity the longer he's assigned to the titan obsessed section commander. "If that's everything then let's get a move on already." Levi said with only slight irritation audible in his voice. Eren wasn't completely certain but out of the corner of his eye he was pretty sure he saw an almost evil smirk on Hange's face.

In moments, the Levi squad accompanied by Hange and Moblit were on their way out of the scouting regiment base and on their way to a forest Eren would guess to train. First though was the matter of getting out of the forest that the base was in. A journey that does take some time. Taking advantage of the down time of riding, and at Eren's expense, Hange rode by his side, and started making conversation. "So Eren, I'm hoping to get in a bit more research in on your titan form if you think you can transform for us. We do know now that it takes a goal to be in mind for you to transform, we might be able to get you to transform with that knowledge now." Hange spoke likely thinking she just sounded cheerful and excited, but to anyone else she sounded almost feral for the chance to study Eren.

"Uh. We'll see… I'm not sure, I do have to focus on training Ms. Hange." The hope of that excuse being enough to stop her pressing were quickly dashed.

"Nonsense, your training should be about fighting and getting better at using your titan form, not the boring human form that the rest of us already deal with." Yet again it was likely that the section commander was hoping to sound cheerful and encouraging, but her tone still puts off a feeling of terror towards anyone that isn't her. Moblit meanwhile just behind them had a face of pure embarrassment at the behavior of his commanding officer.

"Four Eyes," Levi called out from the front of the group, "quit harassing my charge would ya?" His voice, as usual, was irritated and uninterested in having an actual conversation on the matter. Resulting in Hange simply sighing and dismissing her hopes.

The exit from the forest was in sight moments later, Hange spoke once more, "I don't see the issue, if it's for the good of humani-" Hange is cut off as she comes to a very sudden stop behind Petra, the whole group put to a stop by Levi just outside of the forest. "-Ow! What's going-" Once more she was cut off, but this time by what she saw. Eren was looking around at everyone in confusion. Dumbfounded by the sudden stop, before realizing everyone was looking in the same direction, following their gaze, he felt his throat lock up and his heart almost stop.

Sitting right in front of all of them was a titan. Fifteen meters tall, arms propping it up as it looked up at the sky. Seeming to not even notice their presence. Even Hange, who would jump at any chance to be near a titan in a secure environment, was more than just shocked at the sight before her.

"S-sir…" Eld said with obvious stuttering in his voice.

"What're we waiting for?" Oluo called out as he prepared his 3DMG, pulling out his blades. Without hesitation he shot out the grapples at the titan and flew around it.

"Oluo!" Petra called out, getting ready to follow after him, when without warning, the gaze of the titan shifted to the scout member in a flash. Oluo's eyes widened with a moment of fear, the titan's hand whipping up and taking hold of the wires before he could make any kind of retreat. The titan holds the dangling Oluo before it, seeming to study him. Everyone in the squad stunned, and just as they're all about to launch into action to save their team member, the titan puts him down. Causing every member of the group to freeze in place. Oluo's legs going weak and dropping him on his rear, staring up in horror at the titan, it's head hairless, blue eyes emotionless, and mouth lipless. Then it returned its gaze back to the sky, and its arm to propping itself up.

Nobody could speak. There's a titan in wall Rose, does that mean it's been compromised? No, word would have reached them by now with how far in they are. Is it intelligent? Even if it is intelligent how did it get all the way here? So many questions flooded through the minds of everyone present.

Then the sound of leaves rustling came from the forest, as Mikasa, Armin, and Ymir all came out with packs of sticks and twigs on their back, having been assigned a morning chore of collecting scrap wood for fires. They had come over to inspect the commotion, but all froze upon seeing the titan just sitting there. Mikasa's eyes instantly flew to Eren who's eyes were locked on the titan, not noticing they arrived.

"How's a titan here?" Armin whispered to himself, though the other two by him heard it clearly. "Wall Rose can't have been destroyed, we'd know by now, did it scale the wall then?" He was talking rapidly under his breath, stuttering over every word, and shaking in fear as he tried to wrap his head around the situation.

Then the titan glanced over at the new arrivals, perking up at the sight of them. It leaned forward staring at them, and that was when Eren finally took notice of his friends. A surge of fear running through him.

"Levi," Hange spoke as she rode up to his side, "we need to secure this titan, it might-"

"Yaeger!" She was cut off when Levi yelled the boy's name sharply, watching him fly around the titan. Mikasa watched in horror as he bit down on his thumb, blood spraying as lightning sounded out. Everyone covered their eyes as the ball of lightning that engulfed Eren shook the earth beneath them.

Then Eren's titan sprang from the light and dust, charging at the titan as it sat still. Then it spun around on the ground, kicking out Eren's legs from underneath him, sending him toward the ground, but before he could crash into the earth, the titan slammed a fist into his chest, sending him crashing into the trees on the edge of the forest, taking down a couple.

The titan stood now, watching Mikasa and Armin run towards Eren, seeming to focus on Mikasa. Hange attempted to speak again. "Levi, this is an intelligent titan, it's clear, and that means it's like Eren, human, if you can get the person in it's nape out we might be able to learn someth-" Yet again the section commander was cut off as Eren's titan charged out at the titan once more. That's when everyone looked at the foreign titan and realized it had grew short black hair, and its eyes had turned a dark silver in the time that they had looked away.

"What the? What did it just do?" Gunther was the first of the Levi squad to start speaking again.

"How'd we miss that?" Petra echoed.

"Oluo get back on your horse already!" Eld called to him, which he quickly listened to, running to and hopping back onto his mount.

They watched in shocked horror all together, the veterans and the new joins alike, as the right arm of the foreign titan morphed into bone and then sharpened into a blade in moments, replacing the forearm entirely with a bone like blade, Eren completely oblivious to it. Then the titan spun around, slicing eren's titan clean in half diagonally and kicking the top half back to where it had charged from, the cut leaving him with just one arm, while the disconnected half kept the other arm. Eren's titan lied on the ground with its face in the ground.

"Eren!" Mikasa and Armin cried out as they ran to the nape of their friend's titan. Ymir standing frozen in shock still where she was when she had emerged from the forest.

"Surround the titan, make sure it doesn't move!" Levi commanded as he shot his 3DMG at the nape of Eren's titan and flew to it. His team surrounding the titan on all sides, even Hange and Moblit despite not having their maneuver gear they instinctively fell in with the others.

Levi landed swiftly on the nape of Eren's titan and sliced it open, freeing the teenager, who was clearly already exhausted after such a swift defeat.

Armin glances from the sight of Eren being freed to the foreign titan, his eyes widening as he watched it feel over its own nape. His mouth opening as he watched its fingers turn bone white, and then sharpen like daggers. "Is it going to rip itself out?"

"What?" Mikasa looks over at Armin then at the titan, everyone's eyes on it, even Levi's, the only one not looking being the unconscious Eren.

"No way!" Hange squealed in sudden excitement.

"Section commander now is not the time!" Moblit cried out at his squad leader incredulously.

"Why doesn't it just come out?" Armin mumbled, earning a confused glance from Mikasa. "Eren came out of the titan when his energy was spent from using it." The foreign titan started digging its bone claws into the nape of its neck. Not even flinching yet.

"Armin, what're you trying to say?" Mikasa questioned him, staring at him in confusion before looking at Eren, then at the titan as it dug its claws deeper.

"I don't know." Armin said honestly. "But, if it is like Eren, why doesn't it just come out norma-" Armin was cut off as an ear shattering cry of pain was suddenly let loose by the titan. Continuing to dig into its nape. Everyone quickly covering their ears and wincing from the pain. The cries only intensifying as the claws dug deeper and deeper into the skin. Armin's thoughts being muddled by the screaming, but he knew that something was wrong, this was clearly a shifter like Eren, that much was clear to anyone present, but the real question was if it knew that.

Then with a single swift motion, the titan ripped out a chunk of its own flesh and went limp instantly. Dropping the body and chunks of flesh to the ground as it fell itself. The Levi squad and Hange and Moblit backing away so that they were out of the crash distance of the corpse. Everyone staring in horror at the scene before them.

The corpse of the titan collapsed and was still on the ground before the squad, with a human body limp next to it. Armin couldn't help but run over, Mikasa crying out for him to wait, but he didn't hear her. Mikasa suddenly torn between chasing after her fragile friend, or staying with her adoptive brother. A decision that tears her apart inside, but knowing that Eren is safe for now is enough to make her run to make sure Armin is okay.

Armin ran past Petra, who quickly sheathed her blades and ran after the boy off horse to try and keep him away.

"So, this is another titan shifter like Eren huh?" Hange said with thoughts racing. A hand resting against her chin as she thought. Moblit watching her carefully. "Which means it either came from inside the walls like Eren, or it was outside in wall Maria with the other titans, and found a way in."

Armin ran to the body that lay still at the side of the collapsed titan. Freezing when he saw what was there. "Armin!" Mikasa called out behind him, Petra right next to her as they ran to Armin's sides and looked down at the body, and froze just like him. Mikasa's eyes widening especially large. On the ground before them, a face that looked strikingly familiar to Mikasa's.

"I saw… I saw it changed… when it was a titan." Armin choked out. Earning a confused stare from Mikasa. "It had no hair originally… But when it looked at you… it grew hair that looked like yours Mikasa." Armin spoke shakily as he stared in shock at the body below them.

"It changed its eye color too…" Petra's words caused both Mikasa and Armin to turn to her, almost as though they had forgotten she was there. "Evidently it copied a bit more than that…" she added, avoiding their gaze a bit awkwardly, feeling like she invaded their privacy just by talking.

"Moblit." Hange spoke, causing him to perk up, having been mostly frozen in fear the entire encounter. "Inform commander Erwin that we have something he'll want to see." Moblit nodded quickly and turned his horse around, riding away from the scene.

Eren started to wearily open his eyes, watching the decaying corpse of both his and the strange titan. "Wha… What's…" Eren's voice was hoarse and forced. Levi hardly payed mind to it.

"You." Levi pointed at Ymir, who stiffened at the sound of his accusatory tone. "You're not gonna speak a word of what you saw here." She just nodded quickly. "Good. Now get out of here." Ymir didn't bother to salute, walking away quickly back towards the base with her collection of wood with her. A slight _tch_ coming from Levi at the disrespect.

"Just what we needed." Oluo grumbled with immense irritation in his voice. "More titans and more secrets."

"Don't you just love a complicated life Oluo?" Gunther said in an attempt to lighten the mood, though it doesn't take.

"Hey." Levi called out as he goton his horse, Eren lying on his stomach just behind the saddle, having returned to unconsciousness. "One of you brats grab the girl and take Yaeger's horse and follow us. Petra, take the other with us." Petra nods as she looks at Mikasa, taking a guess that she won't want to ride with someone who looks so much like her. Which would be correct. Armin, after a bit of struggling, lifts up the titan shifter and brings her to the empty horse. Setting her down behind the saddle like Eren was set on Levi's before getting on the horse himself.

When everyone has gotten ready to leave, Armin pulls on the reins to get the horse to turn around, but it just refuses to move. "Seems like it's not just stubborn with Eren at least." Petra comments as she rides by him, stroking the horse's neck softly to get it to ease up.

"Thanks." Armin said softly before turning the horse around and joining everyone else. Beginning the journey back towards base. Mikasa riding along with Petra, her eyes locked on Eren and expressly ignoring the presence of the newly discovered titan shifter that apparently copied her appearance.

"Four Eyes." Levi said tersely. His eyes glancing to the side to look at the titan obsessive section commander. The section commander looked up at him curiously. Wondering what he's after. "Can you tell me what the hell just happened there?"

Hange looked down, unsure of herself, of what to say. Remaining silent for a moment before speaking. "I have no idea." Her words startled Levi, his eyes widening a bit at the titan fanatic having no idea what she just saw from a titan. "But I can say for certain. We have some new research material for me!" She almost screeched the last part, which elicited a number of deadpan looks from everyone present. Looks that she was completely oblivious of.

"I think I might have an idea corporal." Armin spoke up, causing a number of confused looks and curious glances. "The titan ripped its human body out, rather than just cutting itself out, or just tiring out to come out naturally. I think that it didn't even know itself that it was a human in a titan." Those words sent shivers down a number of spines. Not only was this a titan shifter who could apparently manipulate its body at will, but one that wasn't aware it was even human.

_Tch_ came from Levi once more. "Just great." Levi said with copious amounts of disdain in his voice. And those were the last words spoken on the trip back.

* * *

**Hello hello lovely readers, thank you for taking the time to read the first chapter of this fic. It is really appreciated and I hope you'll all take the time to leave a review and tell me your thoughts. It is my first time writing a fanfic in a long time so I hope you all enjoyed it. Apologies if there was a lack of dialogue going on, I plan to bring in much more dialogue in future chapters as well as character developing. We'll be learning more about this strange titan shifter that has appeared soon enough, however it might be some time before we get any answers, as I have another fic planned, or two, possibly three, long haul story based fics, one of which I already mentioned in the intro for those of you who took the time to read it. Alright, I don't like long author's notes so thank you all again for reading and I hope you'll all stick around for the journey, or even check out some of the other stuff I plan to write. Have a lovely day!**


	3. Chapter 2: More Questions Than Answers

**Quick note! From here on the narration is going to be changing from past tense to present tense, just as a heads up so that it doesn't confuse any readers. Reason? I could say that it's story wise, and it can be interpreted as such, but really I just prefer to write in present tense, the last chapter was me trying it out and I find that I honestly prefer just writing in present tense much more. That's all! Enjoy the read!**

* * *

Chapter 2: More Questions Than Answers

Eren is sat at the door down to the dungeon. His hands clasped together as he stares down at the floor. Trying to remember what happened. He remembers launching at the titan and vaguely being yelled at by corporal Levi, but beyond that his memory goes blank. He woke up in a spare room, Petra was there and explained that Mikasa and Armin had to leave to go about their proper duties to keep questions from going around. She then lead him down here to wait for corporal Levi and commander Erwin who are, by what he's been told, interrogating the shifter. Petra left after that, having to meet up with the rest of squad Levi to take care of other issues. Leaving him alone here now.

His eyes focused hard on the floor beneath him, but not actually seeing it. Getting lost in his own head, Eren is fruitlessly trying to remember what happened to result in him getting thrashed so badly that he hardly even remembers shifting. Petra didn't say anything when he asked in regards to what happened. Just that he needs to talk to the commander. Thus leaving Eren with a turned stomach and anxiety in his heart. Worry about what's going to happen to him consuming his thoughts.

It is afternoon by this point, meaning Eren is missing dinner now from his recovery the whole day. Time passing slower and slower the longer he's supposed to wait for his superiors. The spare time leaves him plenty of room to occupy his thoughts with self doubt and worry about what this means. He feels that he should be excited, another titan shifter should mean that we have another resource, perhaps one that understands titans better than he does. Yet in spite of that he worries about what the intentions of this shifter are. It didn't attack anybody, everyone was alive in spite of it evidently taking him out when he attacked it. He imagines what it could have done to get inside the walls, rather if it got in here in titan form or in a human form. Yet if it wanted to spy on or infiltrate Humanity why would it turn back into a titan in the middle of nowhere right outside of the scout headquarters? Thoughts like this and more swirl around the boy's head. His mind racing to try and put things together on his own.

The door down to the basement clicks and begins to open. Eren's eyes shoot up and he's already standing at the ready. Though what comes out is neither corporal Levi or commander Erwin. "Mikasa?" He asks in confusion as a raven haired girl with the same silver eyes as Mikasa's walks out from the dungeon.

"Wrong." Levi says with boredom as he steps out from behind the girl and leans his back against the wall next to the door. Eren expecting him to glare at Eren or reprimand him for transforming without permission, but Levi's eyes remain on the girl who looks like a copy of Mikasa, scar and all. Looking past that now though Eren sees that she's not wearing the scout uniform or even the red scarf. Things that he feels he should have noticed immediately and mentally scolds himself for not noticing.

"Eren." Commander Erwin's voice voice snaps Eren's attention off the girl and to the commander as he stands in the doorway, pushing the girl aside as she looks around the hall curiously. "I understand you transformed without permission. This one time it will be overlooked as there was no way anyone could know how to react to the situation. Even the Special Operations squad froze up, and I understand that it was in reaction to it stirring at the sudden appearance of your friends. However, this is your one off, don't let it happen again." The stern and commanding voice of the commander makes Eren wince a bit in fear of the man.

Without hesitation Eren salutes the commander and with a steadfast voice states, "Yes, sir!" earning him a nod from the commander.

The girl glances at Eren as he salutes and speaks, raising an eyebrow at the boy before looking at commander Erwin. Eren spares a glance at her before looking at commander Erwin, "Sir, if I may ask a question?" He asks.

"You may." Erwin responds simply.

"Is this the shifter that we met earlier today?" Eren asks a bit slowly, feeling that it's obvious but not wanting to believe it. The idea alone of coming across another titan shifter out in the open is one oddity enough for anybody, but her looking exactly like Mikasa, scar as well, is just outright outlandish.

"Is that not obvious enough Yaeger?" Levi responds with a question of his own. Causing the flame spirited boy to look down, a bit ashamed of his choice of question.

"Yes, and to answer further questions I'm going to tell you as much as we ourselves know. She can manipulate her body by our understanding, section commander Hange suspects that it's an advanced form of the natural titan regeneration, as though she controls how her body regenerates. By what Armin Arlert said on the journey back here, Hange believes that this also means she can control what she looks like. Along with this, as I'm sure you don't remember, she was able to turn her forearm into a blade of bone and sliced your titan in half." Eren feels a bit of an overload of information but isn't given any time to react, as though Erwin is listing off a list of things without realizing the weight of their meaning on Eren. "When we brought her in, she woke not long after being detained in your holding cell, as well as being chained with cuffs and restraints, even a rope around her mouth so she couldn't bite her tongue to transform. Yet in spite of this, before we could even begin asking questions, her hands slipped from the restraints as if they were too big for her, and proceeded to take off the rope."

"Wha-" Eren tries to interject to speak but a glare from Levi shuts him down swiftly.

"When we tried to ask her questions she simply tilted her head in confusion. For the first few hours there was nothing but questions asked and no response given beyond confusion. When we brought section commander Hange to lean in on the situation, she provided a simple, yet all together clear reasoning. Another part of Armin Arlert's report mentioned how the shifter did not emerge from the titan form normally, but instead ripped herself out after staring at your emergence in what Arlert and Hange described as: confusion. This has lead us to the conclusion that this girl is unaware, not only of being a titan shifter, but of being human all together."

Eren is dazed, rather thoroughly. His eyes wide and mouth agape in shock, confusion, a whole array of emotions that he can't hold back in spite of the commander's presence. "Close your mouth and wipe that look off your face Yaeger before I knock you out myself this time." Levi orders and in a snap, Eren is blank faced and at attention.

"Now, it is unclear as to how much of a threat she is, but considering this knowledge, her behavior, and the summations of both section commander Hange and cadet Arlert, we are taking a chance at observing her, and we will attempt to teach her to speak. The knowledge of her being a shifter will remain a secret between all who were there at the event and myself. She will be made a part of the scouts and given an alias for the time being. We'll also cover up her inability to speak by saying she simply lost her voice. Hopefully in time we can figure out something from her."

"Commander, what about her identical resemblance to Mikasa?" Eren points out a bit slowly, trying to choose his words carefully so that Levi doesn't threaten him again.

The commander looks over at the girl silently for a moment. "We're unsure if she can change her appearance-" at the words change appearance, the girl perks up, looking at commander Erwin, causing him to stop as all three of them watch her hair grow in length, her eyes change from silver to green, and the scar fade. As well as this the bone structure of her face seems to change slightly, not extremely, but it no longer looks exactly like Mikasa, farther from it. Erwin's eyes are wide, even Levi's, and of course so are Eren's. They all stare at the girl in shock, and she simply tilts her head, confused like she was before.

"I don't know what you did to make her do that Erwin, but don't do it in public." Levi says as he shakes off his shock in moments.

"Quite right. Eren." Eren snaps to attention again. "She will be joining the Special Operations squad along with you. It's the best way to keep our eyes on her, as such, you're to keep an eye on her just as much as Levi keeps his eyes on you. She'll be in the cell next to yours, so you're our first line of defense against her if something happens." The girl looks at Eren, causing him to stiffen a bit. Questions on why and how going through his head but he just nods.

"If you have anything to report at any time that I'm not present then tell me." Levi orders. Pushing off the wall and starting down the hall. "If that's all Erwin let the brat get the girl accommodated with her new arrangements."

Erwin nods before looking at Eren one last time. "If she says anything let us know as soon as you can." He drops his voice to a whisper. "I doubt that she's as unfamiliar with English as she lets on." Eren nods slowly, and Erwin departs. Leaving the two shifters alone outside of the dungeon.

Eren looks at the girl, who's been looking at him ever since Erwin said he will be the first line of defense against her if she does something. He doesn't say anything, finding that considering what the commander said, it would be pointless to try talking with her. He just goes to the door and opens it, pointing for her to follow, which she surprisingly does without resistance.

Eren leads her to a cell next to his, the dungeon only being lit by torches just like this morning when he left. He opens the door into the cell and points inside. She tilts her head now like she doesn't understand. "You understood earlier, now what?" He asks pointedly, though he doesn't really expect an answer.

Then she points to his cell, then at herself. Eren looks at her, confused, before realizing that the commander said that they locked her inside his cell. She must take that as his cell is her cell. He shakes his head vigorously 'no' and points to her then into the cell again. She shakes her head and points to his cell. Eren is red in the face with frustration now, and grabs her shoulder to try and push her in. Before he can register what's even happening his wrist is locked in a death grip and twisted furiously hard. "Agh!" He shouts in pain, when he lets out that sound though the grip is lost and the girl steps back a bit.

Eren looks at her in confusion as he rubs his wrist. He'd be furious right now if not for the sudden stop and back off. She bows her head as though apologizing. She definitely isn't clueless, but if that's the case why isn't she talking? Eren doubts that they would let her off without knowing for a fact that she can't speak. He also highly doubts that they neglected to simply ask 'Do you understand me' so he's not even going to bother trying that. "This is where you'll be staying, that cell that you were in is mine." He says slowly, hoping that she'll get the message, as he doesn't know how else to get it across, pointing doesn't work, and force likely will result in him getting forced to the ground instead. She points into the room, then at herself. Eren nods slowly. She nods slowly. There's a pause. Moments go by of total silence. Eren quickly comes to the conclusion she still doesn't get what he's trying to communicate.

When Eren is about to try speaking again she walks into the cell, and sits down on the floor on her knees, looking up at Eren then tilting her head. He just stands there for a moment, unsure what to do. She seems to get that this cell is where she's supposed to be now, but beyond that for all he knows she could think that she's supposed to sleep on the floor. He considers guiding her into bed for a moment before shaking the thought, 'Why should I try comforting her? For all I know she could hate humanity?' goes through his head. He turns and walks towards his cell. He doesn't hear anything from her. When he gets to his cell he stops, growing irritated at the lack of movement from her. Then he turns and walks back to her cell, mostly against his will, and walks to her bed and points at her then at the bed.

At that moment the door to the dungeon opens and Armin and Mikasa step down the stairs to see Eren frozen in place as he points vigorously at the shifter girl's bed with her on her knees in the middle of the cell. Everyone is frozen in place except for the shifter girl, who looks back and forth between Eren and his friends. Seemingly oblivious to the awkward situation around her.

"Should we-" Armin starts only to be interrupted by Eren.

"Not a word! I was just trying to get her to lie in bed instead of on the floor!" Eren heatedly defends himself before any sort of accusations even fly. Mikasa simply deadpanning next to Armin. "What're you two doing here anyways?" Eren says a bit more calmly, though his face is on fire from being caught in such an unsavory situation like this.

"Commander Erwin sent for us to bring dinner down to you guys. Seeing as you missed it." Armin explains as he holds up a small basket of bread that Eren is only just now realizing exists.

"Are you alright, Eren?" Mikasa asks, seeming to push past the awkward entrance as she walks over to him in the cell and checks him over.

"Really? I'm fine! No need to baby me!" Eren groans exasperatedly. His eyes rolling as she checks him. He winces when she takes his wrist that had just been twisted unpleasantly by the shifter girl earlier. She lifts it up and glares at the slight mark that was still there. Eren hardly even realize that she gripped it that tight, having been too focused on the pain of having his arm twisted at such an unpleasant angle over the more tolerable death grip on his wrist.

"Did she do this?" Mikasa asks deathly cold, Armin tensing up and he has the safety of the cell bars to keep him away. The girl stands up and walks around to the other side of the bed from where the two are and sits on it on her knees. Looking up at Eren as if curious if she was doing what he wanted now. Eren doesn't get a chance to respond before having to hold Mikasa back from lunging at the girl, who simply looks at her curiously as her arms are outstretched to go for her throat, only being held back by Eren hugging her from behind and digging his feet into the ground to keep her from maiming the shifter girl.

Armin slowly makes his way into the cell, being sure to keep his distance as Eren repeatedly tells Mikasa to 'Calm down!' Armin kneels next to the bed, and the girl turns to look at him curiously as he sets the basket with bread in it next to her. Not saying anything as she looks from him, to it, then back to him. An eyebrow raised slightly as though she's waiting for him to do something, but he does nothing. Simply knelt next to the bed watching what she does. After a moment of them watching each other, the girl reaches over and takes a loaf of bread and rips off a bite sized piece of it before placing it in her mouth. She looks from the bread in hand to Armin, tilting her head to see what his reaction is now. He smiles a bit, and she mimics him.

At this point Eren and Mikasa have frozen, watching the two carefully. Neither Armin or the shifter notice them as the girl continues to pick off small pieces and eat them. It's dreadfully slow and quickly Eren starts to lose the patience for it. He releases Mikasa, who stands straight again, as Eren walks over, takes another loaf, earning the immediate attention of the girl as she watches him bite into the loaf without picking at it. Armin watches Eren do this, then the girl, studying what she does in silence. Mikasa, meanwhile, folds her arms and glares at the girl, not that the girl even notices or, for all she knows, cares. The girl looks down at her bread that's hardly had a fourth taken out of it from her slow picking. She then mimics Eren and bites into it, tearing off a chunk and eating it like that, her eyes going up to Eren, looking for a reaction that he doesn't give. Her eyes downcast for a moment before looking at Armin, seeming to want some kind of reaction. Armin offers her a smile, which results in her mimicking his smile once more.

Mikasa walks out of the cell and grabs a chair before coming back in, setting it down, and then taking a seat. "Eren?" Mikasa's voice sounds out, and the shifter looks over to the raven haired girl, who's eyes are wide.

"What?" Eren asks her.

Armin taps his leg, drawing his attention before pointing to the girl as she resumes her previous method of picking at her bread slowly.

"What about her Armin? If you're waiting for her to say hi, I wouldn't hold my breath." He says dismissively with a wave of his hand.

"Eren. That wasn't Mikasa who said your name." Armin explains slowly, causing the short tempered shifter to glare in confusion, before looking at the girl again. Her small pickings not even halfway through the bread still.

"Wha-" Eren starts in confusion before being cut off by the girl, using Mikasa's voice again.

"Alright?" Her voice is softer now, not looking at them as she mimics Mikasa's words from before. Mikasa has a face of disgust, finding this to be another weird addition to not only stealing her face earlier today, but now her voice. Armin looks at her, enamored with curiosity, seemingly enraptured in the oddity before him. Eren just looks outright shocked, eyes wide and jaw wide open. After a moment the girl looks up at them, confused again, and tilting her head curiously.

"Do you speak by mimicking what you hear?" A moment of silence as the girl looks at Armin. After a moment she shakes her head no.

"Then why are you speaking now? With Mikasa's voice? Rather than using your own earlier when you were being questioned?" Eren asks, a bit of an edge in his words as he interrogates the girl himself now. Which in response she seems to shrink back a bit. She shakes her head no.

"She couldn't?" Armin suggests, which earns a nod from her. "You understand yes or no questions then?" She doesn't do anything this time..

"I'm going to report this to corporal Levi, they told me to report if she says anything or something important happens." Eren says as he gets up to leave.

"Wait!" armin pleads, causing both Eren and Mikasa to look at him incredulously. "Don't. Before you ask why, let me ask what you're going to say? That she actually does understand us but just wasn't responding to them? That she couldn't talk before but now she repeated a couple words she heard with someone else's voice? We don't know what she means, or even if she understands how she's responding right now."

Eren pauses, considering these words. It's not wrong, and Armin rarely ever is, but it makes no sense to him what she does understand then doesn't understand, there's no pattern near as he can tell. So maybe she is just responding randomly? "What are you saying Armin? We keep this a secret or something? If we keep her talking a secret then not only will we be in trouble but they'll likely do something to her."

"I doubt that they'll do anything that risks Humanity's two greatest assets. Sure it's a gamble but from what I can gather from the commander, he's the type who will risk everything on a worthwhile bet. We saw this in his gamble to have Levi beat you in the court." Mikasa tenses at the mention of this event, glaring at the ground in thought. "For now all we know is that she's mimicking words that she's heard. If we could teach her, maybe then she'll be able to communicate. She seems like the fast learner type, we might be able to get something out of her if we try." Armin looks at his friends pleadingly.

Eren sighs, taking in Armin's words. Sure, there is no risk really in not telling them, as if she does end up talking in front of the corporal or commander then they can play it off as the first time they've heard her speak. Eren shakes his head, not wanting to go with this plan, but his trust in his friend compels him to agree. "Fine Armin. If you think you can make progress with her, then go for it." Armin nods at this. Turning to the girl with a smile, though the girl is no longer looking at them, picking at her bread once more, sitting against the wall with her knees pulled up to her chest.

"Hello." Armin says calmly as he sits on the edge of the bed, looking at her. When he speaks her eyes shoot up and look directly into his. There's silence for a moment.

Eren's about to say something when the girl opens her mouth, no longer sounding like Mikasa, the voice softer and more feminine as she repeats back to Armin, "Hello." Armin's smile is wide as he makes progress already. Eren's a bit shocked, considering the combined effort of corporal Levi, commander Erwin and section commander Hange failed to even get one noise from her, and here Armin is getting her to speak in less than an hour of time. Neither of the blonde boy's friends are surprised though, Armin is a genius, sure he didn't make it into the top ten, but he's still one of the best thinkers and strategists they've ever met, if not the best.

Armin slowly raises a finger to point at himself, then speaking in a slow and gentle voice. "My name, is Armin."

The girl seems to process this for a moment. Once again silence reigns in the dungeon before the same voice she used earlier repeats back: "Armin." She speaks as she points at him. He nods with a smile.

Now he points to Eren and Mikasa as he says, "Their names are Eren, and Mikasa." Then he looks at her and watches her process again.

She's quick to repeat "Eren," as she points at him, presumably because she's already said it, then she takes a few seconds of pointing at Mikasa to repeat "Mikasa."

Mikasa rolls her eyes a bit, not really interested in watching Armin play teacher with the shifter girl. Eren on the other hand watches with interest. He wasn't sure earlier, but with Armin's progress already he's more confident now. He imagines their superiors came off as threatening to the girl, she likely closed up and refused to even attempt communication. He himself could certainly relate to that sentiment.

Armin considers for a moment, wondering if he should attempt something along the lines of information recovery, something simple to do with what he's already exposed her to. He then points to her, deciding to give it a shot. "What is your name?" He raises his eyebrows in a curious way, tilting his head a bit like she does to make it clear that it's a question to her regarding her name.

Silence once more. This time much longer than the previous silences. They all watch her carefully as her eyes seems to practically gloss over, as though she's not even looking at or even in the room anymore. Armin holds out his free hand to signal to the other two to keep quiet, which they were planning to do anyways. The silence stretching longer and longer. It feels like ages go by when in reality it's only a few minutes.

Then she seems to come back to her senses, her eyes alight again as she speaks. "Armin." She says while pointing at Armin. Mikasa drops her head in utter disappointment, Armin lets out a small sigh, and Eren slaps his palm into his face and keeps it there.

"Maybe too ambitious with that. I'll try again in a bit maybe." Armin sheepishly admits before returning to speaking simple words and sentences then having her repeat them. Mikasa and Eren stay by, watching and listening in silence.

* * *

"Commander Erwin?" Hange's voice sounds at the door to Erwin's office. His eyes looking up to see her standing there with an eyebrow raised as she speaks once she has his attention. "May I ask something?"

Erwin sits up straight as he gestures for Hange to take a seat. "Of course. If it pertains to the girl then I'm all ears."

Hange sits down in the chair before his desk. Leaning forward to look the commander in the eyes as she asks curiously "Why is it that you're leaving the shifter girl with Eren? I can understand keeping the two potential threats together under Levi, however wouldn't it reduce our risks if we kept them separated?" Hange's eyes dance over the commander. Trying to get a read on him. The titan obsessed scout isn't opposed to the idea at all, but she wants to understand what Erwin's plan is.

"Humans are social creatures aren't they?" Erwin answers with a question, watching her perk up a bit as he continues. "Titans may not communicate but they're at their best when in herds. That being said, I'm sure titan shifters aren't much different. They're social like humans and are at their best when around their kin. My idea behind this is that being exposed to Eren as one of her own will help her to come forward. I doubt that she's incapable of speech, considering her ability to manipulate her body as we discussed, I imagine her regenerative capabilities as well are far superior to Eren's, as such, she would recover quickly if her voice was damaged. That means that she was like a wild animal surrounded by threatening creatures that were not the same as her. Of course she wouldn't socialize with us, she also wouldn't make a move that would threaten her own life further. In the end, our best chance of making use of her is to get her to trust us, and to do that we need her to trust Eren, the only one of her kind we have."

Hange is quick to process what Erwin says as he says it. Quickly she responds with: "Do you believe she might be able to track other shifters? If she does calm to the point of being comfortable with Eren will that mean she can detect or sniff out other shifters?"

"That's a hopeful idea, and I'd like for that to be the case. However, we can't place our bets on that just yet. There might be a chance that it could work like that, but it's just as likely that it won't."

"You've placed your bets on shakier ground than fifty fifty chances before Erwin." She says with a sly grin. Erwin admittedly lets out an amused grunt accompanied with a grin of his own.

"Perhaps, but I don't see cause for us to bet on such a fortuitous gift of luck. For now our bet is focused on her warming up to Eren."

This is when Hange goes from her calm and cunning personality, to her crazed titan fanatic alter ego. "Do you think if they mated they would produce a shifter? I've been thinking about it and it could be some kind of mutation that occurred in some children! Meaning that if two shifters were to have a chi-"

"Enough. I'm not discussing this Hange, I have some work to do." Erwin interrupts before she can go full on explanation and theory on him.

"You mean for the 57th expedition?" She asks as she calms once more.

"We need to delay the expedition." He says calmly, causing Hange to look at him in shock. "This new discovery needs our full attention, the 57th expedition needs to wait for us to be ready with this new asset in tow. As such I have to do some work in order to prevent the government from thinking we're trying to keep Yaeger to ourselves."

Hange hums a response as she stands. "Yes sir." She nods her head in goodbye to him, and he does the same to her. Returning his gaze to the papers before him once she's left.

* * *

"Armin." The shifter girl says once again, after the third attempt to get her to say her name. Armin shaking his head now with his head hanging low, meanwhile Eren and Mikasa groan as they hang their own heads in defeat.

"No." Armin says a bit harshly, causing the girl to slink back a bit. "Your name, not my name, your name." Armin points to her then himself, then back to her as he speaks. His friends stiffen a bit when he speaks a bit angrily to the girl, not expecting such a tone from their gentle blonde friend.

There's a long silence. Far longer than any of the times before when she was asked for her name. The girl doesn't look up at any of them. Her gaze downcast and separated now. Armin freezes up, worried that he might have just closed off their only chance of getting her to warm up to them, to understand them. He opens his mouth, ready to comfort her when "Bell, uh." comes from the girl's lips. Her gaze still downcast. This time all three of the friends are wide eyed in shock. "Bella." The girl says, putting her own name together slowly. "Isabella." The girl says with a bit of confidence as she looks up at Armin. A small smile on her face, as though she's hopeful that that was the correct answer like her earlier answers to his pointing at himself and his friends.

"Nice to meet you Isabella." Armin says slowly. Smiling at her in reassurance. Though the girl doesn't look at Armin for long, before gazing over at Eren. Seeming to want a reaction from him. Eren sees her looking at him curiously, yet shrugs it off. He spares her a glance, yet he's not sure how to react. Not really considering that such a reaction alone might well shut her down. Armin on the other hand is aware, and whisper shouts at him with a hand to the side of his mouth walling it off from Isabella. "Smile for her! She needs the positive reinforcement!" Armin orders, Eren is a bit stung by the edge to his hushed voice, as though the sound of his words could stab him if he doesn't listen.

After a moment of processing he sighs a bit, not liking being forced to smile in such a way, one might think that Eren just never likes smiling to begin with how he behaves as is. He turns to look at the girl and gives a small smile and a nod. It's half assed at best, even Mikasa pinches the bridge of her nose as though even she expected a bit more effort. Armin's neck goes limp and lets his head drop in disappointment, hanging down. In spite of the two other's reactions however, Isabella smiles giddily and bounces a little in place. Eren quickly looks away when she does. Confusion corrupting his thoughts on why she'd be so happy to see his reaction.

"It's because you're a shifter too, Eren." Mikasa comments, having seen his face and quickly come to the conclusion.

Armin nods along. "She knows you're a shifter like her. Maybe because she recognizes you from when you transformed, or by sensing it right now, I'm not sure. What I do know though Eren is that she's more likely to take after you. I think that's why the commander wanted you to be around her. Be it to gain her trust through you or expose her true intentions to you. I'm not sure exactly what he might have planned. She relates to you more than she relates to anyone else because she is like you."

Eren doesn't have a shocked look like he has been having. Though in his head he certainly wants to make it. However, he does understand what Armin's saying. In the back of his mind he was aware of the connection, even possibly knew that was the reason the commander wanted him to stay with her. Though hearing Armin say it aloud to him, brought the knowledge to the surface.

Isabella looks between all three of them, going from face to face. She lifts a hand and twirls her hair around her finger. Feeling it against her skin, seeming to be thinking to herself. Mikasa still has an air of caution around her when it comes to the girl, mostly due to her hurting Eren the way she did, but for now she'll give her the benefit of the doubt. "We should get going Armin. It's late." She says as she stands up. Walking out of the cell. Armin quickly follows after her.

"We'll see you guys tomorrow! Try to get acquainted with her a bit Eren. It'll help!" Armin calls back as he follows Mikasa out the door. Eren waves to them as they leave, closing the door behind them.

Eren stands there in the middle of the cell in thought for a moment before looking over at Isabella. Her eyes on him, her lips curving up into a smile when he looks at her. He spares her another smile, not as forced but still uncomfortable for him. Not because he doesn't want to smile, but more along the lines of he's hardly done it for such a long time the feeling is weird to him.

He's about to walk out of the cell when a thought occurs to him. He turns to look at her, considering his wording, and how he wants to project it. She's looking at him curiously, smiling faintly at the fellow shifter. "Do you, uhm, have anything you'd like to say, maybe?" Eren winds up saying something far more unsure of himself than he had intended to sound.

She tilts her head at him as he fumbles his words a bit and seems to actually giggle at this. She's silent a moment, similar to how she was when trying to say her name, but then words come out of her mouth once more. "Like you." She says with her soft and gentle voice. Over the time of her speaking he swears that it's gotten softer and more feminine. Though that's hardly what occupies his mind. He's now struggling to understand what she means by like. 'Like as in friend? No she couldn't mean that, she must mean it as in how we're both titan shifters. She's only heard the word like be in the context of Armin saying that we're both titan shifters after all. She couldn't possibly mean it any other way than that.'

He nods a bit, and offers her another smile, once again making him feel off. Then he leaves and goes to his cell. Isabella tilts her head as he leaves. Seeming a bit disappointed before lying down in her own bed and staring up at the ceiling, neglecting to cover herself with the blanket and instead lying on top of it. While Eren falls asleep quickly, Isabella doesn't pass out for another hour or so, seeming to not fully comprehend her need for sleep until exhaustion crashes into her and she falls into sleep without intending to.


	4. Chapter 3: The New Girl

Chapter 3: The New Girl

Morning once more dawns on the Scouting regiment's HQ. There's early activity outside as scouts wake early to get work done today. Members are talking and working all throughout the HQ. The trainees from the 104th cadet corp aren't spared either, as they're put to work early just like everyone else. Endeavors ranging from training to supply gathering are being covered. Many of the scouts are used to this routine. Others, not so much.

Out in the courtyard, Mikasa lifts up three wood crates at once and carries them off. Her fellow cadets all staring incredulously as she walks off with the cargo like it's just one empty crate. The cadets are handling supplies that are meant for the upcoming expedition beyond the walls, unaware of the commander's plans to delay it in light of new information, or rather, a new information source. Their ignorance not alone, as the only ones aware of this change in plans are those same few that were entrusted with the information of the original plan of the expedition. On the surface, the scouts are bustling with activity.

In the dungeon, is a different story. While the rest of the scouts are getting up and active early, Eren is still in bed. His eyes closed as he finally begins to stir in bed. His body under the covers and comfortable like that, refusing to cooperate with a proper morning routine, still recovering energy from his transformation just yesterday. It takes a few minutes, but the boy eventually starts opening his eyes wearily. They only get part way through opening when he sees a mass in the chair next to his bed.

A jolt of energy shoots through the boy, who moments ago was as slothful as the sin itself. He flings himself up into a sitting position, which startles Isabella slightly. She jumps out of the chair and is looking around for what startled Eren. Eren just looks at her incredulously. How long has this girl been watching him? 'She's absolutely insane.' He tells himself in his head. She then looks at him and gives him a sweet smile. As though saying good morning. Eren just sighs as he's about to get out of bed to get dressed, then clicking in his head that she's not leaving until he tells her to.

As he's about to tell her to leave his cell she sighs, mimicking his sigh earlier. He groans at this mimicking, knowing full well it's going to get annoying. As he thinks this she mimics his groan too. He points furiously at the exit of the cell, and says slowly, "Out!" His tone and body making it a clear command. She looks between his finger and the exit for a moment, then leaves slowly, looking back at him at the cell door curiously to see if she was doing it right. He nods slowly, straining to not choke the easily confused girl. She just smiles though and leaves the cell. He sighs in exasperation, it was much easier on his life and patience when he was the only titan shifter.

While Eren is getting dressed, Isabella misunderstands the extent of out, and walks past her cell and to the dungeon door, opening it and walking out without Eren being at all aware. She walks through the halls, looking around curiously. She has the outfit of a scout on still from yesterday, having slept in it. She constantly scratches at it as she walks the halls, not liking the feeling of it. It's rough and chafes against her skin. Not just a particular part or one area of it, but the entire outfit is annoying to her skin. It doesn't take her long though to run into corporal Levi, who was on his way to pick her and Eren up. He stops dead in his tracks when he sees her. "What're you doing?" Levi hisses out, eyes narrowed as he glares at the shifter girl.

She looks up at him curiously, tilting her head in confusion at his question. She doesn't know how to answer so she just points as Eren did, and mimics his word from earlier. "Out!" She declares as Eren did. Her posture and tone commanding much like Eren's was earlier and it sends the completely wrong message to Levi.

He stares wide-eyed at her talking to him, mostly because he wasn't anticipating a vocal response, let alone a commanding one. He grits his teeth as he walks towards her and takes her by her collar, having to pull her down a bit. "What was that?" He asks, his voice is controlled, but terrifying. In spite of the menacing voice of the corporal, she just tilts her head in confusion. "What? Not talking again?" He asks, getting in her face, which she finds extremely uncomfortable so she tried recoiling her head back, but her neck doesn't go very far.

Before Levi can do anything else, Eren is bounding down the hall calling out to him. "Corporal Levi!" This only just barely stops the corporal from taking an action that would not have gone his way if he succeeded. He glares at Eren as he speaks to him. "I'm so sorry corporal! I told her to get out of my room because she was in it and I needed to get changed, I didn't want her there..." Eren takes in a deep breath trying to collect himself together.

"Wait," Levi says suspiciously. "Did you just say out and point to get her to leave you alone?" Levi's put two and two together already, he knows the answer before it's given, letting go of Isabella already.

"Uhm... Yes, sir." Eren answers and Levi lets out a _tch_. He shakes his head in annoyance as he steps away from the girl. Who has returned to readjusting her outfit and scratching at it uncomfortably.

"So she can talk." Eren freezes up, realizing why he asked that, and he looks at Isabella with worry. "She repeated your actions when I asked her what she was doing out. Though that doesn't prove she can think beyond mimicking others, similar to her... whatever she does to change her body." Eren lets out a sigh of relief in his head, at least she's not in trouble. "Yaeger." He snaps and Eren is once more at full attention. "Take her to meet the others. They'll be where we usually meet, I'm going to bring this to Erwin immediately. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir!" Eren proclaims with a salute.

Isabella looks between Eren and Levi in confusion before pointing at Eren and saying in a correcting tone, "Eren." Which snaps Levi into staring at her in shock again. Eren, on the other hand, feels all of his weight double as she just openly messes up everything every opportunity she seems to be given.

"That tone isn't something you taught her, is it?" Levi figures he probably taught her his name, but he imagines that she wouldn't know what a correcting tone sounds like unless Eren was up late into the night teaching her different tones, which is heavily doubted.

"No sir, but I tried communicating with her a lot last night, she might have picked up on a few things I didn't intend and just remembers them now!" Eren quickly tries to explain, his tone filled with guilt that Levi hardly even has to try and pick up on.

"She talked last night, didn't she?" He asks slowly.

Eren doesn't have a chance to answer before Isabella nods for him. A wide and oblivious smile stuck on her face. Eren falls even further into annoyance and is about ready to strangle the girl. Levi stares at her with a deep glare and distrust. "It's progress." He finally says. Eren shocked by what he says, unable to respond before he continues with, "I'll be informing Erwin of all of this. I'm sure that it was late when she spoke, I hope that means that you planned to report to us in the morning." He turns, not meaning what he said last. He knew for a fact it wasn't too late for him to report to them, and that he likely had no intention of informing them. However, Erwin said that this was to be expected, and if they were to get her to ease up around them, Eren was the only way, and that interfering would only cause her to close up again. Levi doesn't like having to let Eren off for it and most certainly doesn't like letting the girl get away with it.

"Her name is Isabella," Eren says, trying to get that out, mainly so that they give her her appropriate name rather than a fake one like they said they would. If someone calls her by the fake name and she corrects them like she just did he'd only be in even more trouble, and by extension, she would be too.

Levi stops for a moment, looking over his shoulder at this added information. At this point he's numb to getting any more upset, so he just nods in confirmation before continuing on his way. Eren sighs in relief now that that's over. He then whirls on Isabella and is about to tell her off for going off on her own, when she asks, "Eren, Yaeger?" She tilts her head in that curious way that she does, and he's stopped in his tracks for a moment. Then he quickly shakes it off and turns to lead her.

"Follow." He says in the same commanding tone from earlier and she listens, her hands still fiddling with and messing with her clothes. The noise of her scratching at and constantly readjusting the clothes is grating on his ears. Thoughts on why she's suddenly so uncomfortable in the clothes now when she was perfectly fine with it just last night.

It doesn't take long to get to the hall where the other members of the Levi squad meet, he doesn't hear anything inside, so his best guess is that they've not yet arrived. Though when he opens the door he freezes up when he sees the rest of the Levi squad sitting in dead silence, picking at their food and tea silently, though upon hearing the door open they all look at Eren, stopping their slow meal. It's a frozen standoff for a while until Isabella pokes her head over Eren's shoulder to look inside curiously. Her eyes are wide with recognition of the people.

Without warning she pushes past Eren, sending him stumbling a bit into the room from the loss of balance. She runs in and waves excitedly at the familiar faces. Nobody waves back, staring at the girl in confusion. They weren't aware that the girl had changed her appearance, having not seen Levi since they left him yesterday, in their eyes, this girl is just a crazy that Eren is dragging into their meeting.

"Who's the girl, Eren?" Eld asks.

"Is she from your cadet year?" Gunther adds.

"I didn't see her in the group you ran off to greet the other day," Oluo adds.

"Is she your girlfriend?!" Petra asks with bright eyes and a bit more excitement that should be had at the idea. Everyone gives her a weird look of confusion to go along with it. She awkwardly laughs it off and waves them off. "It was just a joke." It was not.

Before Eren could explain to them that she's the titan from yesterday and why she looks different, she looks at him curiously and says, "Eren girlfriend?"

Everyone in the squad looks at Eren and Isabella incredulously and all cry out at the same time "She is your girlfriend?!" This sends Eren for a loop, for one, Isabella's repetition of things she hears getting him into trouble again, then secondly the fact that everyone took her repetition as her confirming she's his girlfriend.

He swings his head back and groans. Then he looks at his squad mates tiredly and explains before they can press anymore. "No. She's the titan from the other day." They all stiffen immediately at that and glance at the girl nervously now. Isabella frowns a bit at this, confused as to why the nice people were suddenly closing up and eyeing her. "She changed her appearance the other day, now she's a weird mix of several people that she's seen." Isabella looks at Eren, hoping that he'll tell her why these people are suddenly not talking to her like before. She was enjoying people talking to her. "As for what she just said, she's taken to repeating other people and what they say. She doesn't really understand language so she's learning. Slowly." Her glances at Isabella who tilts her head at him with a pout. He just rolls his eyes and goes to sit down, Isabella following him and sitting next to him.

"So... She can change her appearance entirely?" Gunther asks.

"Not completely," Eren explains as he grabs bread from the basket in the center of the table. Taking a bite out of it. Isabella takes a piece of bread too and starts picking at it like she did last night. Earning her several confused looks. "She can only change some things we think. Eye color, hair length and color, scars, even her bone structure a bit, but don't know if she can change her height, weight, things like that." Isabella looks at Eren as he talks about her. Tilting her head at him curiously as he lists off the things she can and can't change. She seems to make a small nod as she nibbles on a piece of bread, as though confirming what he said. He nods to her, pointing out her nodding. "She seems to understand some words, just isn't able to formulate them on her own."

Isabella looks around at everyone at the table, looking at their suspicious gazes and she slinks back into her seat a bit, sinking into it as she picks at her bread. Not liking the looks she's getting. Eren watches her carefully. He understands how she's feeling right now, he remembers being overwhelmed by the Levi squad his first time meeting them. It's likely twice as hard on her in his eyes, she's not made any sign to be an asset to humanity, at least he's shown his interest in helping humanity, her, on the other hand, hasn't done anything to alleviate any scrutiny that might be directed at her. Not only that but she seemed to have liked the Levi squad, but then they realized what she is and she's receiving the scrutiny he got when he was surrounded by fellow soldiers who saw him as a monster.

Oluo then slams a hand on the table, leaning towards Isabella menacingly. Everyone flinches at the unexpected noise, except Isabella who looks at him curiously, tilting her head as she does. "So, you actually incapable of speaking or are you just keeping quiet and playing pretend?" Oluo is posturing again. Everyone sighs exasperatedly with this behavior from him. Isabella looks around as everyone sighs, then mimics their exasperation. Putting an insulted look on Oluo's face as everyone else holds back snickers at the response from the girl.

"Don't even bother Oluo," Eren says, trying to ease the blow by explaining further. "She's just going to repeat your own words at you like questions. She doesn't get what we're saying completely, just a basic understanding." Oluo just grunts as he returns to his food.

"She seems to have taken a liking to you at least, Eren," Petra suggests, pointing to her and when Eren looks she's still sunk back in her seat a bit but she's looking up at him curiously, still slowly picking apart her bread.

Eren waves his hand dismissively as he gets more answers out there for his squad mates. He was never told not to discuss these things with them, at least not to his memory, so keeping them updated is the best option in his eyes. "Supposedly it's because she knows I'm a titan shifter like her. So she's more trusting with me is all, since I'm like her." The others nod as they hear his explanation, it was a valid answer.

"Girlfriend?" Isabella tilts her head at Petra, trying to understand the word still. Everyone but Eren and Petra snickers at this. Petra just reddens in embarrassment at what she's now stuck Eren with. Eren just holds his face in his hand and leans the elbow against the table, trying to wake himself up from this nightmare.

"Uhm. Well... Are you asking me what a girlfriend is?" Petra slowly asks the girl, and she nods in response slowly, after taking a moment to consider what she said. Petra scratches at the back of her head, hoping that someone will save her by taking the attention off the question.

Her hopes are answered when Levi swings open the door into the meeting hall and walks in. Petra sighs in relief as everyone looks at Levi instead of her now. Levi takes his seat, speaking as he does. "I see you've all met our new join," Levi says. "Good. Saves me having to do introductions." Isabella looks at Levi and opens her mouth to speak but Eren swiftly claps a hand over her mouth before she even has a chance to ask Levi what a girlfriend is. "Get your hand off Isabella's face Yaeger. It's unsanitary for the both of you." Eren swiftly pulls back his hand. Isabella frowns a little at the loss of contact with him. It was nice. Having her fellow shifter pay such attention to her.

"Yaeger?" She asks Eren, everyone else focusing on their breakfast and pointedly ignoring whatever the girl does. Now they at least have a name for the strange shifter thanks to Levi letting them know. Eren hadn't even realized he never told them her name.

"That's my last name," Eren answers Isabella, hushed in his voice as to not bother his fellow squad members. "Eren Yaeger is my full name."

"Full name?" She repeats at him.

"Your first name is given to you by your parents." Isabella seems to flinch at that word, causing Eren to raise an eyebrow and go silent for a moment. He doesn't realize that the others took notice of it too, slowly continuing. "Your last name... is your family name." She winces as though she's been hit in the head. A hand reaching up to rub at it. This causes everyone to freeze, watching her carefully as she seems to nurse a headache that appeared from nothing.

A full minute seems to pass with nobody even moving a muscle. Everyone just carefully watching Isabella as she rubs at her head as though comforting a bruise there. Then she looks up and looks around at everyone in confusion as to why they're staring at her.

Eren reaches out slowly and rests his hand on Isabella's shoulder and she whips around to look at him curiously. "Isabella," her head tilts, waiting for him to speak further, "are you alright?" She pinches her eyebrows together in confusion at the question. Seeming to not understand why she wouldn't be fine.

"Forget it, Yaeger. She clearly won't have an answer." Eren looks at his superior, shocked that he's telling him not to dig for information. Baffled more so by the lack of worry he has for her. If not for her well-being then for the information that she can provide. If something's wrong with her Eren feels they should figure it out, not leave it alone.

Isabella looks at his hand still on her shoulder. Eren follows her gaze then swipes it back to himself. Isabella looks down a bit when he pulls it away so quickly before returning to her picking at her bread, which is only half finished at this point. Nobody seems to notice the downcast look, except for Petra. Her eyes glint with mischief for a moment before she returns to her tea in silence for the moment.

Levi doesn't see the downcast look Isabella had for a moment, but he takes notice of Petra's mischievous spark in her eyes and takes note to inquire what she's planning before the day is through. Everyone else continues talking as they were before. The only silent ones being Levi, Eren, and Isabella. Isabella listening intently to the talks around her, picking up on some words and seeming to recognize others.

After some time Levi dismisses the non-shifter members of the squad to perform their tasks for the day. He looks at Eren and Isabella as he stands, speaking passively, "You two are going to help the rest of the cadets from the 104th with supply moving. We have a large influx of supplies for the upcoming expedition. Need to make sure everything's stored and accounted for." He turns from them, prompting them to both rise, though Isabella only rises because Eren does.

Levi leads the way out and through the halls. Eren follows behind him, followed by Isabella following Eren. Isabella doesn't make the slightest peep, looking around her instead, seeming to be fascinated with the structure. Eren glances over and watches her eyes sparkle with amazement. He feels a small grin form on his lips, then quickly shakes it off. Facing forward again, he watches Levi lead them out of the building and out into the courtyard.

The first thing that Eren notices is all of his companions from the 104th cadet corp lugging boxes of supplies around all over. He feels himself deflate a bit at the prospect of carrying boxes around all day. Isabella, however, doesn't even seem to see the people in the courtyard, looking up at the sky in wonder. To her, this is the first time she's seeing the sun with her own eyes. The same sky that she was looking at just yesterday through the lens of a titan body. Eren watches her, a thought coming across his mind. 'She's been stuck in a titan form the same way we've been stuck inside the walls.' It causes a pang of sympathy in his chest. It constricts his insides at the thought of himself being stuck inside his titan form for as long as he can remember. Only seeing things through the eyes of his titan body, only ever experiencing the world through that shell. He wonders if she's been beyond the walls, seen the ocean and outside world. Would it be worth seeing if he could only see it through the eyes of his titan? Would it carry the same weight?

"Hey!" Levi snaps at Eren and it pulls the shifter from his thoughts, standing at attention facing his superior. "I'll be around keeping an eye on you two. Make sure she doesn't screw things up." Levi's curt in his orders, and Eren nods in understanding. Levi then gestures for Eren to get a move on. Eren grabs Isabella's wrist and pulls her along. Though it only took his touch to gain her attention. She follows after him, letting him lead the way down.

"Eren?" Armin notices the boy first, and at his mention of his name, everyone looks over to see Eren pulling along a girl to them.

"Who's the girl, Eren?" Connie calls out as he approaches.

Eren looks at Isabella and hopes that she'll keep her mouth shut like she's supposed to around the others. "Her name's Isabella," he explains. Looking around as the cadets seem to pause their work to look at the new girl.

"Never met her before. What's she doing here?" Sasha inquires, slowly seeming to pull a piece of bread out of a crate and stuffing it into her cloak.

Mikasa walks over, returning from putting away a stack of three boxes. She has a momentary glare at the girl before pushing it aside. Her distrust of her isn't to come out around everyone else. "She's not from our year. She was a member of the garrisons, but after the battle of Trost she requested a transfer to the scouts." Eren explains.

"What kind of idiot transfers to the scouts after witnessing what the Titans can do?" Jean scoffs. Everyone looks at him. He then realizes what he himself did, and shuts up quickly, grumbling as he carries a box away.

"What's her name?" Christa asks excitedly.

Isabella is about to answer, but Eren answers before she can speak. "Isabella. She's not really a talker so don't try it, she'll just give silence in return." Isabella looks at him incredulously, as though he just slapped her.

"Aw." Christa sighs, upset that she won't have another girl to talk to. Ymir is glaring at the girl. Already aware of the lie, she just shrugs it off though, preferring not to go against orders and get punished for it. Ymir lifts up two boxes and nudges Christa as she walks. "Oh! Coming!" Christa exclaims as she picks up a smaller box and follows after her.

"She's going to be helping us with stocks then?" Armin asks. Watching her curiously. His eyes reading her, curious to see how she'll behave during this chore. He figured already that she would follow along with whatever Eren would be doing, but he wonders what she'll do beyond that.

Eren nods in confirmation. He walks over to the large piling of crates that were delivered to the HQ. He sighs a bit, not really wanting to deal with the menial labor. Mikasa walks over and picks up a stack of three boxes and walks off with them. Eren gawks at the sigh, much like everyone did earlier in the morning when she did it the first time.

Isabella watches Eren stare at Mikasa carrying off three boxes. She pouts a bit that she's taken his full attention. She then walks over to the crates, Eren not noticing her, whereas Armin is watching curiously. Isabella gathers together four boxes, placing two side by side and then one on top of each. She then wraps places her hands on the opposite sides of the two bottom boxes and lifts them up, lifting four boxes with relative ease. Armin's jaw goes slack as he watches her somehow one-up Mikasa. Slowly everyone else catches the sight as Isabella holds up four boxes. The boxes hide her face from most everyone, but she's looking to the side, waiting for Eren to look at her like he did with Mikasa. It takes waiting until Mikasa has disappeared into the stables with the boxes for him to shake off his shock, grumbling to himself, before he feels a pair of eyes on him.

He looks over at Isabella, and he stares wide-eyed at her holding up one more box than Mikasa was. Not the same inferiority thoughts as with Mikasa flowing through his mind, but instead worry that she's showing off more than a normal human should be. Worry that she'll expose herself with such a ludicrous display of strength with her feminine frame. Sure Mikasa doesn't on first glance appear to be as strong as she is, but the odds of someone else also being capable of such strength in a small frame is simply impossible.

Isabella though has gotten what she wanted and turns to carry the boxes away. She doesn't know where she's taking them, but she follows after where Mikasa went. Everyone's left gawking at the girl as she leaves. Several people pausing carrying their own boxes when they spot her. Levi is glaring down at the scene, having gathered why Isabella behaved in such a way. He shakes his head in annoyance, whispering "Brats." to himself as he takes his leave to talk with Erwin.

Isabella passes walks over to Mikasa as she sets down her crates. Mikasa turns and looks at Isabella carrying four crates, her eyes widening in momentary shock before she glares at the girl as she sets her boxes down with Mikasa's. Isabella doesn't notice and turns to return to outside, planning to rejoin the others until Mikasa steps in front of her. She stops in her tracks and tilts her head at her, curious as to what she's doing.

"Isabella," Mikasa speaks smoothly, though her eyes are daggers despite her calmness, "I know Eren might have let you off for the things you did, but my eyes are on you. If you make any wrong move against Eren, I'll not hesitate to kill you." Isabella winces a bit at the word kill. Though the delivering of the rest of the warning doesn't seem to have phased her. Isabella shakes her head, trying to shake off the spike of pain in her head. Mikasa doesn't regard it, simply turning and leaving herself now. She delivered the message, she doesn't care too much about the extent that she processed it.

Mikasa exits the stables, walking back to the crates that have thinned immensely since they started. Eren struggles to lift up one of the larger crates and Mikasa walks over, reaching out to take it off his hands but he jerks it away, "I've got it! Go get one of the others!" Eren snaps at Mikasa, and at this point she just shrugs it off, getting used to the response he has. She doesn't persist as she knows it only riles him up, and he never lets up, if anything he gets more defensive when she persists.

Time passes slowly as everyone groans and begrudgingly haul boxes around for what has come to be an hour of time. It's at this point though that Armin looks around and takes notice of a missing person, his eyebrows knitting together in a slowly escalating surge of worry. Eren walks over and is about to pick up another box when Armin calls over to him. "Eren!" His sudden attention-grabbing call makes the tired lad jump in his skin a bit. He looks over at Armin with wide eyes and a look of 'could you have warned me first?' "Do you know where Isabella is?"

Eren rolls his eyes, "Armin seriously? She's just over..." He cuts himself off as he looks around. Finally realizing as well that Isabella is missing. He silently curses himself and looks at Armin and in a hushed voice starts rapidly talking. "We need to find her! Where could she be! Levi's going to kill her if she's run off!"

Armin raises an eyebrow at the small detail he's missing. "He's going to kill you too you know?" Armin's voice mirrors Eren's hushed tone, making sure that nobody is listening as they walk away from the crates a small distance.

"That's not the priority right now!" Eren hisses out. He's caught off guard by his own words of worry, prioritizing Isabella over his own life on the line. He shakes his head, refocusing, not planning to dwell on that line of thought right now. "Do you have any idea where she might have gone?"

"I remember the last place she went was the stables so maybe somewhere in there? Or she might have gone back to her cell? I don't think she knows about any other locations really." Armin glances around, thankful that everyone's too focused on their tasks and getting them done as soon as possible to take any level of notice towards the two and their conversation.

"I'll check the stables then, you go check her cell?" Eren's already turning to go to the stables when Armin grabs his wrist and turns Eren to look at him, a confused look on his face.

"Why am I going to her cell? Aren't you her neighbor?" Armin asks in a rushed voice, his words kind of melding together, making them sound like one word a few times.

Eren just shakes his head. "Just go! The faster we find her the sooner we're all back to happily going about our usual routines again!" Armin loses his grip as Eren rips his arm free and swiftly strides to the stables. Armin just groans and rolls his eyes before making his way into the Headquarters, his destination the dungeon, which would do better with having the name of shifter quarters at this point.

Eren enters the stables and starts to look around. His search taking him first to the boxes that were taken in earlier by Mikasa and Isabella. No sign of the girl or where she went, though Eren quickly sees that only two of the boxes that Isabella brought here were actually meant to be here. He shakes his head and moves to the stalls next, looking inside of each one, even the ones occupied by horses. Still, nothing to be seen in regards to Isabella or her whereabouts. He growls a bit, low and only audible to himself. His mind racing for where she's possibly gone. If she's taken off on them all of a sudden then Eren's just going to feel like a fool for even beginning to trust her. Yet in spite of that idea, he feels himself doubt the possibility all the same.

Just as he takes a step to leave and see if Mikasa has any ideas he hears a faint squeal and subsequent crash above him. He winces slightly at the sound but makes no hesitation in sprinting off to the stairs at the back of the stables. He'd forgotten in his rush to find clues to her whereabouts that there even was a second floor to the stables, where most things were stored. He tenses at the thought she'd hurt herself on one of the appliances up there.

He stands at the top of the stairs now and looks around, not seeing her from where he's standing, and he starts to worry he just heard it in his head until he sees movement behind some crates. He darts over and past the crates, turning in a flash to look down at Isabella. Her back against the crates, rubbing at her forehead, which has turned very red due to a fair amount of blood. Eren freezes for a second, panic locking him down for an instant before he slides up to her on one knee. He pulls her hand away, wet with blood from a cut on her forehead. He sighs a bit in relief, head wounds always look a lot worse than they really are, though he doesn't understand why she hasn't just healed it over. He looks at her face, half bloodied by the wound. Her eyes squeezed shut as though she's fighting a migraine. Eren places a hand on her shoulder, "Isabella! Hey!" He speaks softly but he's firm, shaking her lightly to try and get her attention.

Her eyes then snap open n her body tensing up, then her gaze shoots up to look at him. Her eyes are wide. Then she lets out a long breath of air. Eren worries that she was holding that in longer than she should have been. Then her cut quickly seals on its own. The blood remains though, only slowly steaming off her body. Eren lets out a sigh of relief that he hadn't realized he was holding in. "Sorry..." Eren's eyes widen in surprise, hearing her soft voice as she winces again, pressing a hand to her forehead again before pulling it away and shaking her head free of the pain.

"What?" Eren's confused now. Numerous questions run through him. Most importantly as to what's causing her all these headaches. Eren's eyebrows knit together in confusion and worry, the two emotions warring to see which is more prominent in this situation.

Isabella shakes her head. "In... con... venience..." Her words are slow, but Eren knows for a face that she's speaking original words now. Hope for what she could tell them shooting to the stars for an instant. The thoughts are halted as he sees glistening in her eyes. His heart seizes for reasons beyond his own understanding when he sees this.

"Why are you crying?" Eren asks, his voice clear with more worry than confusion now.

Isabella looks at him in confusion instead. She reaches up a hand and wipes her not quite as bloody eye and looks at her hand, inspecting it for the tears he's referring to. She shakes her head. Her mind going blank, no understanding of what caused them or even what the emotion was that caused them. She looks at Eren's gaze, which has devolved to one of confusion instead of worry. The confusion both at himself and what she is saying. "Sor... ry..." Isabella says softly as her blood turns into a mist in moments.

Eren is caught off guard by her sudden standing, considering that his hand had never left her shoulder and he forgot it was there, causing him to be slightly yanked up. Isabella looks at him in surprise as he lets out a slight yelp from her sudden yanking him up unintentionally. She holds her arms out around him, as though shielding him, as she looks him over, making sure that she hadn't harmed him in some way. He stiffens, watching her tensely as she looks him over. Once she's sure that he's fine she pulls herself away from him and smiles at him.

It takes Eren a couple of seconds to recollect himself. He gives her a small half grin, it lasts only a moment but it makes Isabella smile wider. Though Eren doesn't catch this, already leaving, speaking to her over his shoulder, "Come on, we still have work to do." Isabella nods as she quickly catches up to Eren and walks with him back out to rejoin everyone else. A number of curious glances are cast their way when people see them returning together, though Eren, ever the ignorant one to social contexts, doesn't recognize them. After a small while, Armin returns from his search and a wave of relief courses through his system upon seeing Isabella back with Eren, glad in spite of the fact that he wants to strangle Eren for sending him to the basement.

Eren has to do a bit of convincing with Isabella to get her to start carrying two boxes instead of four at a time, explaining to her that it isn't a competition of who can carry the most boxes. She tries to convince him that she can handle three like Mikasa, but he's persistent, and she relents quickly to his wishes.

While they work, Eren tells her about the other cadets, trying to get her to know some of them without needing to meet them face to face. She tilts her head most of the time, not understanding his descriptions too often and needing him to reword himself several times. She finds everyone interesting, and in spite of his best warnings and trash talking, she finds Jean to be amusing, while Eren doesn't understand why, she simply finds it funny that someone is trying to posture against Eren.

Armin observes from the sides as he takes notes on inventory and checks things off the lists. His mind working hard, as it always is. Wondering what made Isabella a titan shifter like Eren, and most importantly, why she doesn't seem to remember being human. His mind repeatedly going back to the sight of her titan form ripping herself out. The screams of pain she let out as she dug into her own nape. The confusion at seeing Eren coming out of his titan. 'How much does she actually know?' Is a recurring question in the boy's mind.

Ymir's eyes are only ever glaring when she sees Isabella. She both knows what she is, but also doesn't at the same time. She knows that she's a titan shifter, but she doesn't understand how that's possible. Her own thoughts are stuck circling around the girl. It annoys her immensely as she'd rather be focusing on Christa, nothing else.

Mikasa keeps a vigilant gaze on the girl and Eren, watching for even the slightest sign of aggression or danger to be given off by the oblivious Isabella. The level of innocence in her leaves a bad taste in Mikasa's mouth, the thought of Isabella looking like Mikasa when she came out of her titan form sends a shiver up the raven-haired girl's spine. It was unnerving, and not something that she ever wants to see again.

From a couple of floors up in the HQ, Levi watches the cadets carefully. He doesn't trust Isabella or her goals, whatever they may be. It's too convenient that she doesn't remember how to speak, let alone anything of being a human for that matter. The only conclusions in his eyes are that she's always been in titan form, or whatever made her a titan shifter caused her to repress a whole lot more than just the event itself. Erwin and Hange said Eren likely repressed whatever the event was that gave him his titan shifting powers, so it wasn't impossible that Isabella suffered from something far more intense, but similar all the same. _T__ch_ escapes from his lips as he shakes his head. Preferring the simple days of just worrying about killing Titans and maybe capturing a few, not babysitting them.

* * *

"Isa... Bella... My is name... Nice... Meet... Armin?" Isabella's voice is soft, stuttered, and unsure of herself and her speaking. In the dimly lit dungeon, sitting on her bed, Armin, Eren and Mikasa gathered like the night before. After Eren told him about her starting to use words that she hasn't heard, Armin wanted to hear for himself as soon as possible, and continue his lessons and practicing with her.

Armin lets out a small sigh at the poor word structure of her sentence, it actually kind of hurt him hearing it. But this was fast progress, far beyond his expectations, which rightfully worries him as he considers the possible meanings of this. He turns and looks at his friends, an embarrassed smile on his face as he explains, "Her sentence structure right now is... For lack of a better word, abysmal. But it's good progress, if not somewhat concerning."

Eren raises an eyebrow at Armin, not fully catching his meaning. "What are you saying, Armin?" Despite himself, he finds his worries lying with her safety, what kind of danger she might be in by what Armin is saying, not nearly as focused on the danger she presents.

"I originally thought that she was simply always in titan form, that she was a titan shifter that was originally a titan and had no understanding of being capable of being a human, but this disproves that. The simple fact is that she knows English. She was human at one point, long enough to learn how to speak, but for some reason, it's been repressed, forgotten to the depths of her memory." Armin's quick to deliver his thoughts, if not for spotting the confused worry in Eren's eyes, he would have kept going.

Eren's eyes are on Isabella, who doesn't really understand most of what Armin said, purely because he said a lot and she needs time to process even simple sentences. Such a long explanation and theorizing wasn't something that her mind could keep up with, especially with his quick voice in saying it all. She wonders if it was on purpose, was she not supposed to understand what he said? She shifts on her bed, her back resting against the head of it and she pulls her knees up to her chest, falling in on herself, and her own thoughts. Eren tenses at the sight and Armin follows his best friend's gaze to see the curled up Isabella and his eyes widen with a slight panic.

"Isabella, are you okay?" Eren's voice comes out before Armin can even think of saying the words, the two watching the girl worriedly, she then winces at the question, pressing her forehead to her knees for a moment before nodding a bit. Mikasa all the while sits in the corner by the grating of the cell. Her interest far from the conversation, only watching for signs of danger from Isabella still. Her trust in the girl not wavering from its low standards.

Armin watches as Isabella rubs her forehead against her knees harder. Not understanding what's wrong. On the other hand, Eren remembers how his words earlier in the day about family and parents had struck her the wrong way. For once in his life, the boy's mind works quickly and puts together that his question had rubbed her the same way that his words did this morning. "I think it's time to wrap up for today," Eren says, standing and walking to the cell door. Armin is taken off guard by this slightly, whereas Mikasa is hesitant to leave Eren alone with her, but she knows arguing with Eren on anything never works out in her favor.

"If you say so, Eren." Armin rationalizes, standing and waving goodbye to Isabella, who doesn't even see it. Armin's eyes soften a bit at the sight of her strain, but he understands what Eren's doing. He looks to Mikasa, who's already out of the cell and walking to the door without a word. His eyes narrowing in confusion, she's silent all the time, but this silence seems forced to him. Something to keep an eye on he decides. "Take care of her." He whispers to Eren, nodding to Isabella. Eren stiffens at the request but nods in affirmation that he will. Armin gives him a small smile before taking his leave. "We'll see you later, Eren."

With that, the door to the dungeon was closed, leaving Eren standing at Isabella's cell door, while the girl is curled up into herself, rubbing her head in evident pain. He watches her silently for a minute. His memory pricking at how he found her in the stables, how similar the two scenes seem to be. The question at the back of his mind though going to what it was that she was told to cause that fit then. He shakes himself awake, going over to her, kneeling down beside her bed, looking her over worriedly. "Isabella?" He asks softly, trying to tread carefully.

At his voice she pauses. Looking up and then over to him. Her lips slowly spread into a small smile upon seeing him. He returns the smile faintly. "Do you need anything?" His words remain soft and careful, not wanting to push her deeper into whatever is bothering her. She shakes her head 'no,' and she seems to relax a bit. Her mind slowly leaving whatever it was that was biting at her. Eren lets out a soft sigh of relief at the sight of her loosening up again. "If you need anything... Even if it's just to talk... Or if you have questions, I'm here to help you. After all, we're both-"

"Shifters..." She finishes for him, a light smile on her lips, looking at the boy with a fondness that he doesn't recognize. He returns a fraction of the smile, and in Isabella's eyes, it's enough. He nods to confirm what she said, before standing.

"It's probably a good idea to get some sleep. You know where I am if something happens." He then takes his leave, not wanting to dwell with her alone longer than he needs to. Not out of resentment like the other day, but because he feels it would be improper. Especially so with her in bed. Isabella, on the other hand, doesn't want him to go but says nothing of it. Slowly she lies down, looking up at the ceiling in total silence, her eyes beginning to close when sleep takes her, everything is silent.

* * *

It's dark. Pitch black darkness is all that Isabella can see. Yet in spite of this complete darkness, she swears that she can see it moving, shapes moving and forming in and out of her vision. It's silent. Not silent the same way where everything was silent as she slept, but silent as though there is supposed to be noise, yet despite her hardest straining to hear, she hears nothing. She tries to move but finds herself incapable of it. She tries to speak, words that her friends had taught her. Yet her mouth doesn't move. She tries to remember, but her mind goes blank.

"Isabella." A voice pierces the darkness, it's male she believes. The voice is familiar, but at the same time foreign. It scratches her, she feels her skin crawl at the sound of it. Then she realizes that the feeling of her skin crawling is actually her skin being felt. An aching pain drives itself into and throughout her body. She tries to, wants to desperately let out her wails of pain, but she still cannot do anything. "Silent... Trust..." The voice speaks again, and with each word that she registers she feels the ache grow.

"...Relax..." The voice is distant, yet in her face, smooth yet rigid, calm and despite it is angered. She doesn't understand anything, but she knows that more words are being said, she feels it deep inside herself, and yet despite her efforts to hear more, only some things register in her mind. "...Pain... Are... Okay?..." She recognizes the question. Eren asked her that question... Right? Her mind is muddled. She feels that she remembers something but she's forgetting just as easily.

"...Quiet..." The voice doesn't change tone but she knows it's a command, despite it sounding like everything at once she feels that she knows what the context of the words is, but she doesn't grasp it in spite of this knowledge. "We... Parents... Lost..." She struggles more, trying to move, trying to open her eyes, thinking they must be closed and that's why she can't see anything.

"...Your... Family..." She wants to cry, she wants to feel tears run down her cheeks. She doesn't comprehend why she wants such a feeling, but she demands it of her body, receiving no response just like every other time she tries to do something. The only active part of her being her mind, which even that is in immense turmoil, suffering through the pain, suffering through the words, suffering all in silence.

There is a long silence, her mind still alight with struggle. She doesn't understand why it's silent now. Confusion adding itself to the many things whirling in her mind. She doesn't know if she preferred the voice or silence. It's agonizing to her. Then as if in answer, she feels a piercing against her chest, "Kill." The voice returns with just a single word, and Isabella feels gripped with immense fear, wanting to be released from this nightmare. A pressure grips her shoulders, and she jolts at the feeling.

* * *

Light comes into her world again. Her eyes opened to look up at Eren, who's holding her shoulders tightly, pressing her into the bed. His eyes worried far beyond any of the times before. Just as quickly as the nightmare had taken her, it disappears from memory. Her eyes confused at why Eren is here, why she's awake now. Why her heart is racing. She had lost her blanket, it isn't on her body anymore. She wonders where it is.

"Isabella?" Eren's soft voice is smooth against her ears. It relaxes her slowly as she looks up at the shifter. Her eyes softening, a powerful difference to Eren's intense and worried gaze. He reaches up with one hand and wipes tears off her cheeks. She didn't even realize the wet tears had fallen from her eyes. When did they fall? Why was she crying? Their minds synchronize with these questions, not understanding at all what had tormented Isabella in her sleep.

"Hi." She says quietly. Her voice more sure of itself when she speaks. Her gaze on his, which is on hers. Eren feels himself tensing in his skin, realizing that she doesn't recall what she had been doing in her sleep. She's oblivious to her crying, to her tossing and struggling against unseen forces. She doesn't remember begging the pain to stop, for her to be killed instead of tormented. She's oblivious to how he had tried t stop her sooner but she threw him aside like he was a blunt blade that outlived its usefulness.

He looks down at her, worried for the girl beyond anything right now. She could have hurt herself if he hadn't intervened, and worse, if she did, she might have transformed and caused a massive ruckus. But those possibilities weren't on his mind when he came into her cell, his thoughts were purely on waking her up so that she wouldn't be in any more pain than whatever it was that her own mind was putting her through. Thankfully for them being in the dungeon, he was the only one to hear her, everyone far from being around them, let alone close enough to hear through the thick dungeon walls. Eren struggles for a moment with his words, what he wants to say because the wrong word could send her back into whatever it was that she just experienced. She clearly has no recollection of it, and he wants to keep it that way, but he also wants to reassure her. "You're safe with me Isabella." He promises her. His words genuine, and his voice steady.

"I feel... Safe with you..." She speaks softly, looking up at him with a sweet smile. He smiles down at her. Feeling that he accomplished what he wanted to at that moment. Despite this though, he remains there with her, holding her shoulders in silence for a full minute before he starts to wake up from himself. He feels his insides strain at being where he is, not knowing that Isabella is feeling the same strain, but the two process it differently from the other.

Eren stands from her bed, letting her go, causing Isabella to deflate a bit. He walks to the cell door, looking back at her, giving a small reassuring smile. "Get some sleep, I'm sorry for waking you." He wasn't sorry, but she shouldn't know why he is. In her eyes, he had woken her up to tell her something, and she had hopes for what it was, not that she didn't appreciate what he said. Perhaps she's simply wrong in what her mind is thinking. Just because they're the same, doesn't mean that he'll feel the same as her. She nods slightly, understanding his words, but wishing all the same that they had been different words.

Isabella lies back down, Eren returning to his cell and doing the same. In his mind, he doesn't understand why he feels so strained when around her. He knows that he cares about her safety, and when she's in danger he wants to get angry and protect her, but he doesn't, he has a reaction far different from his reactions when his family and friends are in danger. No clue in his mind as to why. 'Do I not actually want to protect her?' Runs through his mind, questioning how he feels about his fellow shifter, this distressed and terrified soul in a world of people that don't trust her and would sooner kill her than befriend her. He thought he could relate, but he's in far better standing than she is by absolute leagues. He has his friends, his family, and a show of his loyalty to Humanity. She is foreign and threatening in every meaning of the word, and if anything, she's scarier than Eren is in every way. Should he want to protect her? Or is he ignoring his instincts in wanting to keep her safe, and she actually is a threat to everyone? Eventually, the two fall asleep, both of their minds chaotic with questions and little if any answers. A silent rest falling over them both for the rest of the night after exhausting their thoughts on the other.


End file.
